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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23457076">The Prince and The Snake Charmer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Decon_St3inx/pseuds/Decon_St3inx'>Decon_St3inx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fluffy, M/M, Snakey!Alec, lindworm prince, magnus to the rescue, snek!alec</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:09:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,118</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23457076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Decon_St3inx/pseuds/Decon_St3inx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec never put much thought into mundane fairy tales. Now he's stuck in one and the only one charming enough to get him out of it is Magnus Bane. </p>
<p>A retelling of a Norwegian fairy tale with a Shadowhunter twist.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Hunter's Moon Fairy Tale Retelling</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Prince and The Snake Charmer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p>
<p>Alec was actually looking forward to the end of the night. He hadn’t said anything aloud but everything was running smoothly for once. Jace and Izzy had brought back their teams without any damage or ‘side missions’. Magnus was due back in a few hours from a visit with Ragnor. Clary wasn’t causing trouble and … Wait, he hadn’t seen her since he walked past the library three hours back. Turning on his heel he walked back to the library. Leaving Clary alone for three hours was asking for trouble.</p>
<p>Once Alec arrived at the doors to the library he found the redhead sitting crossed legged reading. Odd but not a bad thing. “So what’s caught the infamous Clary Fairchilds’s attention for so long?”</p>
<p>Clary startled, “Alec, I didn’t realize you were there. Just caught up in a good fairy tale.”</p>
<p>Alec raised an eyebrow at that. “Don’t give me that look. Shadowhunters exist so what’s wrong with a little harmless indulgence.”</p>
<p>“You know mundane fairy tales aren’t real, right?”</p>
<p>Clary smiled, closing the book and standing up. “Just because something isn’t real doesn’t mean you can’t learn something from it.” Holding the book up, Alec saw the title was something about Norwegian folklore. She continued. “Take the ‘Lindworm Prince’. Sure, the big lesson is being courageous and calm. But also that sometimes the sins of the parents haunt the child even when it’s not their fault. Which is bull.” Something Alec agreed with, not that’d he be telling Clary that.</p>
<p>“There you two are. Come on, Jace is trying to show the new recruits some new moves,” Izzy said, striding into the library. Alec knew that meant Jace was throwing the recruits all over the training room. The humour he felt through the bond now made sense.</p>
<p>“Come on!”, Izzy grabbed Clary’s hand pulling her out of the library. Alec could hear the two laughing as they headed for the training room. Alec was about to leave when he noticed the book Clary had left on the chair had fallen to the floor. Bending down to grab it and put it back on the chair, Alec noticed a bookmark had been left marking the “Lindworm Prince”. Across from the story there was a drawing of a monstrous green snake with two arms. Shaking his head as he closed the book, tucking it under his arm, Alec headed for his office. He’d read it while Jace was ‘training’ the new recruits. No reason to give his parabatai a bigger audience.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Alec shouldn’t have thought today would have been like yesterday. He’d teamed up with Izzy and Jace to deal with a warlock who’d been seen messing with mundanes. It was like old times, fighting with his sister and parabatai. Then Jace had left his back open to the warlock. Pushing him out of the way, Alec was hit with a sickly orange magic that the warlock had been gathering. Pain shot through his body. And oddly a deep rage. Alec could feel himself getting smaller and the world went dark.</p>
<p>Izzy ran to where her brother had stood. But Alec… all that remained was his clothes, bow and quiver.</p>
<p>Wait, were his clothes moving? Izzy knelt down carefully, pushing through Alec’s clothes. Sitting in the middle was a black snake. Izzy froze. It was big, its body as thick as her staff. The snake slowly turned its head towards her and rose upwards. “Izzy?” Alec’s voice spoke up.</p>
<p>Izzy could only stare at the snake. “Alec?” she said, a tremble in her voice.</p>
<p>“Why does everything look wrong?” The sna… Alec said while slowly turning his head to stare Jace standing over the warlock’s unconscious body.</p>
<p>“The warlock’s spell, it... it turned you into a snake, Alec,” Izzy said, reaching out slowly to pick up the pile and Alec. Once she was standing up with the heavy snake that was her brother did she see that his deflect rune stood out white against his black scales. Carrying Alec over to Jace, Izzy couldn’t help but have a bad feeling.</p>
<p>Jace could only stare in shock at the black snake that was his parabatai. He had felt pain when the warlock’s spell had hit Alec but had lost himself to rage and had gone after the warlock who dared to harm the other half of his soul. He had dealt with the warlock quickly. Looking up, he saw Izzy carrying over Alec’s clothes and a giant snake sitting in the middle of it. “Izzy, where’s Alec. And what the hell is that.”</p>
<p>“It’s Alec.”</p>
<p>Jace could only stare.</p>
<p>“Izzy’s right, it’s me, Jace.”</p>
<p>“Alec?” Jace’s voice wavered.</p>
<p>“We have to get him back to the Institute and call Magnus.”</p>
<p>“I agree.” The two siblings quickly headed for the Institute. The third held tightly in his sister’s arms. That rage was slowly bubbling inside his scaled body.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Magnus unfortunately hadn’t returned yet from Ragnor’s and Catarina was unavailable. Alec let out a hiss of frustration. Right now, all he wanted was his boyfriend and to be back to normal and the next shadowhunter that thought it was a good idea to try and pet him was going to get bit. Izzy and Jace had dove head first into researching the warlock and any other related spells. Clary had joined in the hunt for information. So far, the three hadn’t found anything about the spell the warlock had used or how to reverse it.</p>
<p>One of the recruits Jace had been ‘training’ with the day before approached the group. Alec ignored them. Right now, he needed to focus on staying calm. Since the transformation, he had felt angry and ready to lash out. Which wasn’t like him. He wanted Magnus. Caught up in his thoughts he didn’t notice the recruit’s hand coming towards him till it was right in front of his face. Rearing back, Alec rose his body to tower over the recruit growling, bearing his fangs and striking out at the recruit stopping millimetres from their face.</p>
<p>“Alec!” Alec turned, snapping his mouth shut at seeing the look of worry in Izzy and Clary’s eyes, and the look of surprise in Jace’s face.</p>
<p>Alec turned away from the recruit and coiled back up, the recruit running away. “I think I want to go to my room. Let me know if Magnus calls,” Alec said slowly unable to look at anyone.</p>
<p>Jace moved slowly towards Alec. “It’s going to be okay, Alec.”</p>
<p>“We promise Alec. We’ll let you know,” Clary said as Jace picked Alec up and draped him over his shoulders.</p>
<p>As Jace walked to Alec’s room, he could feel how scared Alec was at his reaction to the recruit. Reaching the room, Jace moved his arm so Alec could slither onto his bed and into a sweater he’d left on the bed, curling up inside of it.</p>
<p>Kneeling down so he could talk face to snout with his parabatai Jace stated, “It wasn’t your fault Alec. It’s been a really stressful day. Bet you a week of Ichor duty that by tomorrow morning we’ll have this figured out and you back to your brooding self.</p>
<p>Alec let out a huff of laughter. “Thanks, Jace.”</p>
<p>“Night Alec.”</p>
<p>“Night Jace.” And with that Jace turned off the lights, letting the room fall into darkness. Curling up in the sweater, all Alec could think of was how much he wished Magnus was here right now.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Alec woke to the hushed voices of Izzy and Clary. Opening his eyes, he realized his vision had changed again and this time he was much bigger than anything around him. Looking down, he realized he now towered over the two of them and had destroyed his bed. It was barely visible under the massive coils his body had become. Turning toward Izzy, “I think it got worse Iz.”</p>
<p>Clary looked at Alec closely. “The spines on your back, they look like feathers.”</p>
<p>Izzy looked closer and hummed in agreement.</p>
<p>Thinking, Clary continued, “It’s weird. For some reason you remind me of this snake… ah lindworm I was reading about the other day.”</p>
<p>Izzy looked at Clary “Lindworm? I’ve never heard of that monster.”</p>
<p>Alec turned his large hazel eyes to Izzy. “It’s because it's from a fairy tale mundanes made up.”</p>
<p>“But you do look a bit like the snake from the story Alec.” Seeing the book lying on the floor next to the destroyed bed, Clary grabbed and opened it to the drawing.</p>
<p>“I guess there’s sort of a resemblance,” Izzy said, looking from the book to her towering snake brother and realizing Alec’s scales weren’t black but a deep blue. That looked oddly familiar. That happened to be the moment Jace walked into Alec’s room.</p>
<p>Staring at the towering Alec, Jace opened and closed his mouth. “How the hell are we supposed to fix that?”</p>
<p>Clary closed the book. “We need Magnus. Maybe it’s like the fairy tale. Maybe it’s not. But Magnus is centuries old, he must know something or at least someone who can help.”</p>
<p>Alec drew his head closer to his siblings and Clary. Izzy looked and saw how sad Alec’s eyes were. “Alec, you do know we’re going to find a way to fix this right?”</p>
<p>Alec bumped his head into Izzy, causing her to stumble. “I… I’m… I just want to be plain old Alec again. I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now. One second, I’m angry, the next I’m scared. I just want to be back to normal.”</p>
<p>Izzy put her arms around Alec’s snout and hugged him, “Don’t you worry big brother, we’re getting you back to normal. Promise.”</p>
<p>Jace chose that moment to pipe up, “Actually that’s why I stopped by in the first place. Magnus is here. He couldn’t get a hold of Alec.”</p>
<p>Alec’s head popped up staring at Jace. “Magnus is here?!”</p>
<p>Jace shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah he’s in the...” Before Jace could finish, something in Alec pulled at him to get to Magnus. Ignoring his sister, Jace and Clary, he tried for the door only to realize he was too wide to fit through without breaking the frame.</p>
<p>His snout bumped into a body standing outside the door. A body that smelled of sandalwood, comfort, and something else.</p>
<p>“Well you’re quite a bit bigger than Jace led me to believe, my dear. But there’s nothing wrong with that,” Magnus stated as he brought his hand to Alec’s snout giving it a rub and causing Alec to let out a purr in pleasure. “And what a magnificent blue lindworm you are.”</p>
<p>As Magnus walked into Alec’s room, with Alec drawing back, he saw the three shadowhunters plastering themselves away from the door.</p>
<p>“Magnus, can you,” Clary spoke up first as she pulled back from the wall.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, Biscuit. Thankfully Ragnor once dealt with something very similar to this back in the 70’s.”</p>
<p>Clary looked confused “1970?”</p>
<p>Magnus replied with a grin, “1870s. But back then the poor warlock found themselves turned into a long-necked sea monster.”</p>
<p>“Wait, you’re saying the Loch Ness Monster is … was real?” Clary couldn’t keep the awe out of her voice.</p>
<p>“Yes, but back to the more pressing matter. I know how to help Alec but I recommend using the loft instead of the Institute. Less chance of someone walking in and causing trouble.”</p>
<p>Jace crossed his arms. “The Institute is the safest place in New York.”</p>
<p>Magnus countered, turning towards Jace gesturing with his arms. “One of the safest places, and full of nosy shadowhunters who don’t all share your ‘open’ thoughts about downworlders.”</p>
<p>Izzy interrupts Jace before he starts up, “Let’s let Alec decide.” They look toward the towering blue serpent.</p>
<p>“I trust Magnus. If he says it’s best to perform the counter spell at the loft then that’s where I’ll go.”</p>
<p>Magnus nods in agreement. “It's less a counter spell and more an antidote ritual”. The three shadowhunters and lindworm look at him. “I know what I’m doing. But I do need to prepare a few things. Alexander, I’ll be back for you this evening.”</p>
<p>Alec nodded his giant head. Snapping his fingers, Magnus created a portal and disappeared.</p>
<p>Clary looked at Alec then Izzy “He’s not supposed to be able to do that inside the Institute is he?”</p>
<p>The three siblings look at each other. “I’m not going to tell anyone. You?”</p>
<p>Clary shakes her head with a smile. “Nope”.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>That afternoon seemed to stretch on forever. Alec could feel himself becoming more frustrated with every hour that passed. When Magnus finally returned, Alec felt his control was stretched tighter then the string on his bow. Izzy and Clary had decided to wait outside his room to give Magnus more space to open a portal big enough to transport Alec to the loft.</p>
<p>Jace took a step towards Magnus, causing Alec to let out a growl. “Easy Alec. I trust Magnus.” His hands up as he backs up.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Jace”.</p>
<p>“Just bring my parabatai back,” Jace said with a determined look at Magnus.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry Jace, you’re not the only one that wants Alexander back to his normal size. He’s much too large to properly cuddle like this. After you, my dear,” Magnus waved his hand toward the portal. Alec nodded his head at Jace and slithered through the portal.</p>
<p>Arriving in Magnus’s loft Alec could see he’d removed all the furniture. Expect for two full bathtubs sitting in the center of the living room with large brushes lying next to them. Turning toward Magnus, Alec asked, “You’re going to wash me back to normal?”</p>
<p>“Alec, do you know the story of the lindworm prince? Biscuit wasn’t off the mark when she mentioned it the other day.”</p>
<p>“Clary mentioned something about reading it in a mundane fairy tale. I ended up reading it.”</p>
<p>“You know then that the shepherd’s daughter had to ask the lindworm nine times to shed his skin, then bath them in lye then milk.”</p>
<p>Alec did remember that detail and leaned his head over to the tubs giving them a sniff. It smelled like sandalwood, like the soap he used when he showered at Magnus’s.</p>
<p>“I was able to substitute the lye for something a bit softer on the skin and give it a magical boost as it were.”</p>
<p>Alec looked at Magnus. His clothes seem to… shimmer.</p>
<p>“Let's get started Alexander. This is going to feel stranger but I need you to trust me. The magic in the spell takes on a mind of its own with this part.”</p>
<p>Alec lowered his head so he could look Magnus in the eyes, those beautiful cat eyes. “I trust you Magnus.”</p>
<p>“Prince Lindworm shed a skin.”</p>
<p>Alec was seized by the magic “No one has dared to tell me to do this before.”</p>
<p>“But I command you to do it now!” Magnus said unwavering. Alec took strength from the resolve of his boyfriend.</p>
<p>“Fair warlock, shed a suit.”</p>
<p>Alec felt his body shift and turn and shake and a layer of dark blue split off of him and landed on the floor. Magnus removed his suit, red wine and laid it on top of the skin.</p>
<p>“How many times do we have to do this again?”</p>
<p>“Eight more times I’m afraid.”</p>
<p>Alec shook himself. “Okay.”</p>
<p>Magnus began again.</p>
<p>By the fifth shed skin, Alec began to feel the pain from shedding each skin. Each one had become lighter in colour than the one before.</p>
<p>“Alexander, I can…” Magnus stretched his hand out to comfort Alec.</p>
<p>“I can do this Magnus. I know you’ll keep me safe.”</p>
<p>Looking at those hazel eyes, Magnus knew Alec really meant it. With a nod, he returned to reciting the words.</p>
<p>By the 8th time shed, Alec’s large body was shaking from exhaustion and pain.</p>
<p>“One more Alexander. Just one more and it will be over, my love. You’re so strong Alexander.”</p>
<p>Alec nodded his head slowly and looked at Magnus. The last suit reminded him of the one he’d worn to his cancelled wedding. Somehow it looked better on Magnus then it ever had on him.</p>
<p>As the last words left Alec’s mouth, he felt his body shrinking and he twisted as the pain intensified.</p>
<p>Magnus looked down at Alec’s withering body. It looked small next to the pile of suits and shed skin. Standing in only his pants, Magnus knelt down next to the withering mass of pale blue scales and black feathers. Gently, Magnus gathered up his love against his bare chest and carried him to the soap bath and began to rub him down with the brush. Even the softest of bristles (Magnus had done the enchantment himself) still caused Alec to whimper out in pain.</p>
<p>Magnus murmured softly to Alec as he washed him.</p>
<p>“You are the strongest man I know, Alexander. I love you so much. It’s almost over my love.”</p>
<p>Once Magnus had washed away the matted feathers and scales, he gathered Alec’s small form and placed him into the milk bath. It made Alec let out a sign of comfort. Magnus had made sure to keep it warm.</p>
<p>The brushing took less time and Alec had begun to drift off. Lured to sleep by Magnus’s hands and soft words. He had never felt so cared for.</p>
<p>Magnus picked up Alec and placed him in the softest towels he could conjure and carried him to his...<em><em> their</em></em> bedroom. As he covered the short distance, he could feel that Alec was beginning to become heavier.</p>
<p>He placed the bundle of towels and Alec in the center of the bed. Snapping his fingers, he changed into a pair of sleep pants and snuggled up next to the bundle of towels.</p>
<p>“Sleep well my dear Alexander. I’ll be here.”</p>
<p>Snuggling into the bundle, which seemed bigger, Magnus let out a sigh of exhaustion and fell into a dreamless sleep next to the shadowhunter who had stolen his heart.</p>
<p>---</p>
<p>The morning greeted Magnus with soft touches to his lips, tracing them.</p>
<p>Opening his eyes slowly Magnus was greeted with the sight of, “Alexander”, who smiled softly back at him. Leaning in for a kiss, Alec met him halfway. It was a soft kiss that said I love and thank you.</p>
<p>Pulling back, Alec stroked his hand down Magnus’s jaw. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>“I’m glad you’re back, my prince.”</p>
<p>Alec blushed.</p>
<p>“If anyone’s a prince it's you.”</p>
<p>They shared another kiss and snuggled closer together, entangling themselves so tightly it was hard impossible to know where one ended and the other began.</p>
<p>Fun note:</p>
<p>Alec and Magnus found out a few days later that the flexibility from being a lindworm hadn’t gone away.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is been A Hissy Tale: The Prince and The Snake Charmer.<br/>Thank you to the fantastic folks over at The Hunter's Moon discord for helping be get this tale written and published as my first story to AO3.<br/>And a thank you to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/TobytheWise">TobytheWise</a> for being my beta reader.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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